WASTE: S.African Army incompetance: $15 million (R235m) of Medicine had to be destroyed
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[Look at this wastage. The SANDF is the South African Defence force. Jan]It has long been said the ANC can’t run a modern country because they can’t understand the complexities of modern society. #TheAfricanWay of loot, consume and then stand with a begging bowl is more their thing. The SANDF just destroyed 40% of an unregistered medicine that they imported from Cuba because somebody left the door of the fridge open for more than a day, so the medicine went bad! The value of the unregistered and now damaged medicine is R 235 million. Yes really.
You might ask why is the SANDF importing medicine? Medicine that is not approved for use in South Africa? This ridiculous situation came about after 2 ANC cadres, Mzwandile Masina and the Gauteng MEC for Health Dr Bandile Masuku, announced last year that the Cuban medicine Interferon alfa – 2B is a wonder cure against Covid-19 and must be imported on an urgent basis.
The import of the medicine was financed through the SANDF’s operational budget for the campaign against Covid-19 called Operation Notlela.
Interferon is not registered for use by the regulating authority for health products called Sahpra. The SANDF did not submit a formal application to Sahpra to approve the use of Interferon.
The Auditor General investigated the expenditure and after sending a team to the base where the medicine was held found that the medicine was damaged because the door of the freezer that it was kept in was standing open for more than a day.
Kobus Marais, DA spokesperson on Defence, has told the media that he did submit Parliamentary questions about the Interferon matter to the Minister of Defence, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nkaqula, but she never replied to the questions. Marais said he also submitted an official complaint to the Military Ombudsman.
Pres Ramaphosa do you have any control whatsoever?